OUR STORY

"Cop That", something I find myself saying whenever I see a player cop a hit or cop one myself.

Cop That is Australian owned and operated and provides protective headgear for sports such as Aussie Rules and Rugby.

I spent my early years playing Australian Rules Football from age 5 through to when I finished high school at 17. Like many, when I started working full time I found it hard to find the time to continue playing sports so quit football before my first year at senior level.

Just months after my 30th birthday, I attended a football game at the local club where I played all my junior football. Speaking with my cousin after the game, he mentioned they had a lot of injuries and were screaming for players. Thinking I was still in pretty good nick, this bright spark thought a return to football was a good idea after 13 years. I attended training the following Thursday where I tore my hamstring in the first 15 minutes which delayed my much anticipated return for a further 6 weeks.

Fast forward 2 years, I stuck at footy and in that time managed to do my other hamstring, a quad, my groin, sustained two black eyes, cracked my ribs and broke my wrist. I'd made a habit of injuring myself but my most gruesome injury was yet to come.

During a game in the 2023 season, I found myself running back with the flight and had my head collected by a player attempting to take a mark over the top of me. I got up, a little sore from the contest but thought nothing of it. It was only a few minutes later when I felt the back of my head was wet that I realised my head was bleeding... a lot.

I ran straight off and was assessed by the trainers. The result, a pretty sever laceration to my head.

Fortunately, I had no signs of concussion and was clear to return to the field after getting patched up.

Following the game, I was told I should really get stitches and had a teammate drive me to the hospital. I was again assessed for signs of concussion and was given the all clear but also left with 5 stiches (and a tetanus shot) for my troubles. I booked a follow up appointment for a few days later to get it checked. At the following appointment, the first question I asked was "Can I play Saturday?". Having passed the period of delayed concussion, I was cleared to play but to avoid splitting open the stitches, I was encouraged to wear a helmet.

"Oh man, I'm going to be that bloke everyone calls bubble wrap" I thought to myself as I chucked on a helmet for Thursday night training. I wanted to get comfortable wearing it before playing with it on Saturday. I'll be the first to admit, they take a bit of getting used to but it wasn't long before I forgot I even had it on. During the game, I copped a few more head knocks, one in particular I thought to myself, "I dare say that would have ended with another split if it wasn't for my bubble wrap!". I've played every game since with a helmet.

In the week following the game, I had 3 separate players come up to me and ask me how I found playing with a helmet and where I got it from, one had gone to three different stores that day and all were sold out and another made a comment that we should "buy shares in a protective head gear company". That's when I thought, "There's a market for this and now I understand why".

And so "Cop That" was born!